In The Hands Of The Gods
by ladyfox7
Summary: Elizabeth was desperate. She called out for help, never expecting an answer. What does she do when Apollo turns up at her door? ***Rating may change***
1. Shelter

Centuries of silence suddenly fell away, as he listened to the plea from down below. He had to find her. Apollo had been asleep since the last time a mortal's faith had fueled his power. Eons, he had been waiting for somebody to utter a prayer, for a passing shadow of belief to grace his heart. She had given him life once more. The time had come, now, for the god to reawaken. Grasping his bow and lyre,a touch still familiar after so long, he descended among the rays of the dying evening sunlight, his feet touching down on the hallowed ground of Mount Olympus.

* * *

Frustrated, Elizabeth slammed her book shut. An exasperated sigh passed her lips. She had been studying all day for an exam the following morning, but she was none the wiser on the subject. _I just don't get this_, she thought sadly. _I should give up on archaeology, and just go back home to England_.

She had always dreamt of being an archaeologist, thrilled by tales of ancient civilisations. She had settled on attending university in Athens, Greek mythology being her passion, but little over a week into her first term, she was struggling to find the drive to study. She soon found that the words in her textbooks in no way reflected the mythology that she had come to love so dearly. Her lecturer had decided that he'd surprise his less-than-interested class with an exam during their second week, to give them a harsh reminder that earning a degree was about more than silly attempts to absorb information by osmosis.

It was this desperation, that drove Elizabeth to cry out to whatever divine being that may be listening. Looking down at her book, she laughed. The cover held an image of a carved relief of the sun god. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, and, Apollo, if you can help this atheist pass her exam, you'll have my eternal gratitude", she whispered.

Hearing her roommate's key turn in the door downstairs, she put aside her notes, and decided to take a break and grab a bite to eat.

* * *

Apollo smiled as he saw a crow fade into the growing darkness overhead. The wind gently caressed his chiton. It felt good to be alive again. The streets of Athens were narrower than he recalled, mainly due to the cars parked along the edges of the roads. He carried on walking, trusting that he'd know when he came to her house.

He did.

Coming to a particularly narrow street, he started towards a door with flaking green paint. There was a light in the upstairs window. He raised his hand to the shabby door, hesitating. He had no plan of action. Shaking his head, he knocked, deciding that he'd figure it out.

He waited.

Hearing a knock at the door, Elizabeth stopped rummaging in the cupboard. She turned to Samantha, her roommate.

"Who could that be?" she asked.

Samantha shrugged her shoulders, and continued flicking through a fashion magazine. Elizabeth sighed, and made her way to the door. Opening it, she was taken aback. Standing before her was the most handsome man she'd ever seen. His smooth olive skin and long dark hair seemed to glow, and his deep brown eyes appeared to hold an infinite amount of emotion. Tearing her eyes away from his, she looked down at his attire, a smile coming to her lips when she saw that he was dressed as though he was on his way to a fancy dress party.

"Can I help you?"

He smiled at her, his features lighting up with a pure expression of joy, and Elizabeth found herself smiling along with him, though she failed to understand the reason.

"I believe the question," he said, his English flawless, though heavily accented, "is how I can help you."

She frowned, thinking he was a door-to-door salesman, but unable to figure out what he may be trying to sell her. She shook her head, and stated that she wasn't interested in buying anything. Turning back towards the house, she reached out to close the door behind her, but paused at the feeling of his hand lightly grasping her sleeve. Facing him again, she saw that his smile had faded. Replaced, instead, by a pained expression.

"Please, Elizabeth, don't send me away again."

Her eyes wide, she tried to pull the sleeve of her shirt from his grasp. "How do you know my name?"

Seeing that she was becoming agitated, he quickly let go, but tried, instead, to hold her gaze, and gently whispered, "You called on me to help you, remember?"

Her brow furrowed for a moment as she tried to recall, and was hit with sudden realisation.

"G-God...?"

He laughed quietly, glad that she was growing less frantic. "Apollo, please, it's been a long time since I've done anything worthy of being called 'God'."

She looked up at him, seeing him for what he really was, and noting his handsome features. He stood a head taller than her, his frame strong but not thickset. She marveled at his beautifully sculpted cheekbones and jaw.

"Apollo, then... Would you like to come inside?" she asked, feebly.

* * *

It hadn't been difficult to sneak Apollo upstairs, telling Samantha that it was just a friend from her class wanting to swap notes. The lie earned her a reproachful glance from the god of truth, but it was soon replaced by another smile as he stepped into her bedroom.

Looking around, he nodded, muttering things in Greek under his breath. When he was satisfied that he'd inspected everything of interest, he picked up a stuffed wolf and held it to his chest as he sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing this, Elizabeth found herself laughing uncontrollably at the innocent look on the god's face.

"That's Joey", she said, when she finally caught her breath.

"Joey?" he gazed up at her expectantly. He smiled, when she pointed to the wolf in his arms.

Turning the desk chair around, she sat opposite Apollo. "I'm sorry."

He frowned at her, and shook his head. "Why on earth would you feel the need to apologize, Elizabeth?"

"I called you here for nothing. I... I didn't expect you to actually turn up."

Apollo's expression softened, and he reached out to take her hand in his. "Elizabeth, your head may insist that you don't believe in me, but your heart tells me otherwise. Don't be sorry. It was your cry for help that awoke me from my dormant state. You can't begin to comprehend what it feels like to reawaken after such a long time asleep."

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

They fell into a comfortable silence for several moments.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks redden at the feeling of Apollo gently running his fingers along the back of her hand. Suddenly he pulled back, dropping her hand and causing her to look up at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I've... been alone for a long time. I... I'm rather lonely."

She gazed deeply into his eyes, frowning at the sadness they held. "Apollo... I really don't mind... if you want to hold my hand..." she whispered.

Hesitating, he reached forward once more, taking her hand. He smiled to himself, and began to hum a melody. Elizabeth found herself mesmerised by the tune he was singing. She slowly moved to sit on the bed beside him. He stopped suddenly, somewhat unsure of the new seating arrangement.

"Please, continue" Elizabeth quietly pleaded.

Nodding, he picked up his lyre. Softly and slowly, he began to pluck the strings, his eyes closed as his lips formed the lyrics. His body gently swayed as it kept time to the music. Though she did not understand the words, tears found their way to Elizabeth's eyes, as she watched the god lose himself in the tune.

Before long, the music faded out, and Apollo placed his lyre carefully on the desk. He turned back to Elizabeth, and raised a hand to brush a tear from her cheek. Leaning towards her, he softly placed a kiss on her forehead. Hearing her sigh, he placed another, chaste kiss on her lips, and ran his hands up her arms, coming to rest at either side of her face.

Lifting her face towards him, he looked into her eyes.

"Thank you for giving me life."


	2. Shopping

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews. I'm sorry for the wait. I'm not sure if I can continue with this story, I've run a little dry. If anybody has any ideas, feel free to suggest. Failing that, if anybody feels like they'd like to continue it as their own, send me a message.**

* * *

Elizabeth woke suddenly. Her room was dark. Looking to her bedside table, glowing green digits informed her it was just after 3am. The dry Athenian night left her mouth dry, forcing her to venture down to the kitchen for a glass of water.

As she turned on the tap, she wondered about Apollo. She remembered him singing, and then she woke up. _It must have been a dream._

Heading back to bed, she heard a loud thump. Mysterious noises were not an unusual happening with Samantha in the house, but this had come from the direction of the sitting room, causing Elizabeth to freeze. Pausing, she considered her options. _If it's a burglar, I should wake Samantha. Then again, maybe it is Apollo._

Tentatively, she took a step towards the sitting room. The door stood slightly ajar. Elizabeth tried to peak through the crack, but could see nothing in the darkness. Holding her breath, she placed a hand on the handle, and soundlessly eased it open further.

Stretched out on the couch, lay the god. She couldn't remember the previous night, she didn't recall him leaving or falling asleep. Assuming she must have drifted off to his beautiful melodies, she decided she'd apologize to him for being an impolite host.

"A-Apollo?..." she whispered.

She listened for a response. Her ears were met only with the gentle sound of his breathing. She quietly approached him. Gazing through the early morning darkness, she tried to make out his features. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted. He was asleep.

She stared at him a moment longer, smiling. She turned to head back to bed. As she reached the door once more, she stopped. A thought suddenly occured to her. _What if Samantha comes down and finds him? I've got to move him._

"Apollo! Wake up!" she called, loudly, now, but not loud enough to risk waking Samantha.

No movement from the sleeping god.

Elizabeth reached over to shake him, but paused, her hand on his arm. _Muscle. _Blushing, she looked down at Apollo's body. Until that moment, she'd taken little notice, but now she realised his strong body was as finely sculpted and as flawless as his handsome face. Looking to his face again, she gasped. His eyes were open. He had been awake. He had seen her admire his body. Her cheeks reddened further, seeing the smile adorning his lips.

She jumped back, as though she'd been hit by an electrical surge. Dropping her eyes, she quickly made her way back to the door.

"You can't be on the couch when my roommate wakes up. Please find somewhere else to sleep."

Elizabeth all but ran up the stairs, making sure not to wake Samantha. As soon as she reached her room, she shut the door, her cheeks still heated. She climbed into bed, and, despite the September heat, she pulled the covers up as far as they would reach, burying her head in her pillow. Sleep came soon.

* * *

The alarm buzzed at 7am. Exhausted from her early morning troubles with Apollo, she blindly reached out an arm, attempting to hit the snooze button. Her eyes jerked open as her hand colided with something. not the cheap plastic alarm she expected to hit, but somethind soft and... fluffy? Following the line of her arm, her view reached her hand, and her blood ran cold. The covers beside her concealed a body, and her reaching hand had come in contact with a mass of long, dark hair.

Retracting her hand, she stumbled out of bed, dragging the covers with her. Laying on the bed, sleeping soundly, was the beautiful god. At first, she found herself blushing deeply, but soon, annoyance took over. This time, she made no hesitation in reaching out and shaking Apollo awake.

He sat up, suddenly, jerked awake by the shaking. He looked up to her, from the bed. He smiled gently.

"Good morning."

Confused, and still annoyed, she glared at him.

"Good morning?" she gasped. "What are you doing in my bed?!"

He looked at her, puzzled by her anger. "You told me I couldn't sleep on the couch, and I couldn't really sleep in the kitchen or the bathroom, so I had no choice."

Still glaring at him, she grabbed a clean change of clothes, and moved to the door. "I'm going to shower. Stay here."

Hurt registering on his face, he reached out to her. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I really didn't mean to upset you. I swear I didn't touch you or anything..."

Blushing deeply, she couldn't bring herself to speak. Anger faded away, as she realized the god had came to her room with pure intent. She nodded, not meeting his eyes, then made her way to the bathroom.

As she ran the water in the shower, she heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was Apollo, she called out impatiently. "Now what is it?!"

Hearing Samantha's voice on the other side of the door, she quickly, wrapped a towel around herself, and opened the door. "I'm sorry, I'm having a bad morning." _I woke up next to a god, and I think I'm going insane._

A little hurt by her impatient reaction, Samantha shrugged. "I was just going to ask if you were okay, I heard voices from your room, and thought you might be having an episode, or something."

Elizabeth looked at her roommate. "No, I was just... video chatting with a friend... about an assignment. I got a little annoyed, because he was calling so early."

Samantha watched her a moment longer, then nodded. "Okay, I'm heading out to college now. I guess I'll see you this evening."

Elizabeth waved, as Samantha made her way downstairs. A moment later, she heard the front door shut. Sighing, she called to Apollo.

"Samantha is gone, you can go downstairs now, if you want. I'll be there in a minute."

* * *

"I have to go to class, Apollo. What are you going to do while I'm gone?"

The god looked sadly at Elizabeth. "Can't I come with you?"

Contemplating what would happen if she brought Apollo to her Greek Mythology class, she hesitated. _It would be an interesting experiment._

"Okay, we'll stop off somewhere, and find you something... modern... to wear. If you can blend in, you can come with me."

He smiled widely. "Really? Thank you!" His beautiful smile faded, and a troubled look eclipsed his features. "I really didn't want to be alone again..."

She looked sadly at him. _He must have been so lonely, all these years._ She smiled, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. Leading him outside, she locked the front door, and together they began to make their way down the narrow street. They walked beside each other, until Apollo shyly reached out to take Elizabeth's hand in his. Blushing, she allowed him. Several moments later, she found herself lacing her fingers with his, and smiling up at him.

A thought suddenly occured to her. "Apollo, do you have any money? We have to get you new clothes, but I'm not sure I can afford it."

He contemplated her question for a moment, then grinned. "Leave it to me."

Letting go of her hand, he ran to a rubbish bin outside a nearby house. Before she could register what he was doing, he had reached into the bin, and somehow pulled a wad of bank notes. "One man's rubbish is another man's treasure!" he called back to her.

Taking the money from him, she laughed. "That's a handy trick! I'll have to remember that when the time comes to pay the rent."

Taking her hand once more, they carried on along the street, until they came to a shop selling men's clothes.

"I bet we'll find something here. Come on!"

Slowly coming to terms with the fact that he was an ancient god, Elizabeth began to really enjoy Apollo's company. He appeared so innocent, gazing in awe at the most mundane of things. She allowed herself to have fun. He was a true gentleman, paying no attention to anybody but Elizabeth, even if the shopkeeper did stare at his unusual garb. And his handsome features.

They spent a while, browsing all of the clothes in the shop, having a hard time deciding on a suitable outfit. Finally, Elizabeth gave Apollo a dark grey pair of trousers, and a white shirt to try on. It was simple, yet elegant. He disappeared into the changing room, while Elizabeth continued to browse through the shop.

Moments later he appeared. Looking up, she found herself speechless.

The outfit emphasised his dark features, the fitted shirt clingling to his perfectly sculpted torso. He looked every part the god he was.

Several minutes of silence passed, Apollo growing anxious. "If you don't like it, I can try something else on..."

She smiled up at him. "No, I... I love it. You look very handsome."

Both blushed. Elizabeth dropped her eyes. Then, suddenly, looked up again. "We need to get you shoes, also."

They picked out a pair of black shoes to complement the outfit. Thanking the shopkeeper, they left the shop, Apollo now properly dressed, and, holding hands once more, made their way to the campus.

As they walked through the busy streets, Apollo leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Elizabeth's cheek. "Thank you for helping me pick an outfit."

She smlled up at him, her eyes meeting his, as her cheeks gained colour. "I meant what I said. You look very handsome."

Standing on her toes, and placing her hands on his shoulders for support, she kissed the god. It was a chaste kiss, but for Elizabeth, it was a bold move nonetheless.

Quickly looking away, she made to walk ahead, but he held her hand, and stood, forcing her to return to his side. Surprised, she looked up at him once more. A sweet smile was gracing his lips now. He placed his free hand on her cheek, firmly, but gently, directing her face towards him. He lowered his head, catching her lips in a brief kiss, then holding her close, he wrapped his arms around her, and rested his head on top of hers.

She blushed against his chest, unsure at first. Then slowly, she wound her arms around his waist, burying herself deeper in his embrace. His warmth enveloped her. The warmth of the sun. She revelled in it, and allowed the rest of the world to fall away around her. In that moment, nothing else mattered, and then, she realized. She had fallen for the god. Her mind told her she should pull away, she would achieve nothing but pain. Her heart argued otherwise, wanting to remain in that warm, safe place for all the days of her life.

Her heart won.


End file.
